Venezuelan Earthquake Spurs Urgent Aid Efforts

Outside a community center in Bogota, volunteers take action by loading boxes filled with clothes and food onto trucks destined for Venezuela’s earthquake victims.

Three days after a devastating double earthquake hit Venezuela, President Delcy Rodríguez has committed to saving “as many people as possible.” She urges unity as the country’s death toll climbs, marking this as one of Venezuela’s worst seismic events in over a century. Official reports show over 1,400 fatalities and more than 3,200 injuries, with many individuals yet to be accounted for. Thousands have become homeless, resorting to sleeping in public spaces.

On the ground, frustrations grow regarding the slow and disorganized aid efforts. International teams are gradually arriving, but challenges such as insufficient equipment and an overwhelmed health system impede progress. In several severely affected areas, heavy rescue tools are absent, forcing residents to manually sift through the debris.

In Colombia, which hosts the largest Venezuelan diaspora, hundreds flock to community centers to donate non-perishable food, hygiene products, clothing, and pet supplies. Humanitarian organizations across Colombia and neighboring countries rush to gather essential items to assist survivors in the coming weeks.

One volunteer, Isabel Mendoza, originally from Venezuela, arrives with clothes, gloves, face masks, and toilet paper. Despite her family being unharmed, Mendoza expresses her sorrow for the affected regions and emphasizes the importance of aiding her fellow countrymen.

Mariana Godoy, involved in logistics, brings bottled water, energy drinks, cookies, and sanitary products. Her relative, a doctor in Caracas, has been forced to reside in his damaged office due to unsafe conditions at home.

Gisella Serrano, a humanitarian worker, predicts the crisis will persist for months and her foundation coordinates supply storage before transporting them to Venezuela. The aid delivery hinges on navigating governmental permits, as Venezuela has been historically reticent to accept assistance from private groups, especially those linked with opposition.

Activists in Venezuela accuse authorities of hindering relief efforts and claim that in some instances donations have been seized. Serrano stresses that resolution will be prolonged: “This is not something that will be solved in a matter of days.”